Paddock stand and tools.

Hello guys I have a question.
I have a 2016 Commando 961 SF and I purchased all the polished chassis options along with the polished aluminum gas tank from Norton. I already installed the polished foot controls, heel plates, shifter, and pegs. Soon I'll be swapping out the top and bottom yolks, gauge panel, risers, clamps and tank. To remove the yolks I plan on using a paddock stand, I noticed some guys on here use the Pit Bull stand, can anyone confirm which one will work on our 961 commando so I can remove the yolks and support the front. It would be a plus if pit bull or other brand has an attachment to hang the brake calipers to while the front is apart. I realize I can't use the front paddock to do all the yolk swap, and that I'll have to support the bike from under the frame to remove all the necessary parts to do the swap. But I'd like to purchase a front paddock stand that allows me to remove the front wheel and fork tubes when the yolks are in place.

Also what is needed to remove the yolk stem nut from the bike so I can make the swap? Is the nut a spanner style, or 6 sided nut or something else? I want to have everything ready before I begin the tear down. Also where may I find torque specs? Can I purchase a service manual in paper or pdf form?
Thanks in advance guy!
Great forum!!
Scott.

Hello Voodooo , All the torque specs are in the service manual . You can go to the website called SCRIBD or just do a google search for Norton Commando 961 service manual and the SCRIBD site should come up. There is a small fee and then you can download the PDF and print paper etc. In fact they let you view it for free , you just can't down load or print . I opted to buy the factory service manual and binder . Just a heads up - the torque spec for the pinch bolts may be changing so lets get a shout out to Simon Marshall to see if you can still use the old printed torque specs.

TonyA said:

Hello Voodooo , All the torque specs are in the service manual . You can go to the website called SCRIBD or just do a google search for Norton Commando 961 service manual and the SCRIBD site should come up. There is a small fee and then you can download the PDF and print paper etc. In fact they let you view it for free , you just can't down load or print . I opted to buy the factory service manual and binder . Just a heads up - the torque spec for the pinch bolts may be changing so lets get a shout out to Simon Marshall to see if you can still use the old printed torque specs.

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Tony. Thank you for the info I will look that up.
I agree on the torque spec for the yolks since seeing the pictures on our forum of the cracked yolk. But I doubt the failed yolk was torqued to spec.
Scott.

Be careful with removing the top yoke nut. As I am in Switzerland my dealer used a metric and not inch key to remove the nut and damaged it!
Further you should lay a tissue or handkerchief or similar on the yoke before applying the key to the nut. The top yoke can easily get scratched while removing respectively mounting the nut.

Raphi said:

Be careful with removing the top yoke nut. As I am in Switzerland my dealer used a metric and not inch key to remove the nut and damaged it!
Further you should lay a tissue or handkerchief or similar on the yoke before applying the key to the nut. The top yoke can easily get scratched while removing respectively mounting the nut.

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The top Yoke Nuts have always been 37mm , I cant think of any part which requires imperial tools on the 961.

As Raphi said, its advisable to use something to protect the yoke while working on it.

Also, the scribd version is very outdated. So be cautious when using it. Its best to got the latest direct from the factory. If you plan on keeping the bike, its worth the investment. The reason I never put torque specs in my manauls is because they could change and I don't want to keep making reveisions to my manuals when they and if they do. Plus I do not want to be responsible for breaking or stripping something. Hope this helps. And the whole bike is metric.

Voodooo,
I have a "Pit Bull" front paddock stand which raises the front of the bike from under the bottom yoke with a pin that goes into the hole at the stem. This allows removal of the front wheel, fork tubes etc.. I always raise the rear with a rear paddock stand ( from Norton UK) before raising the front with either kind of front stand. As for brake calipers I usually wrap them to prevent a stupid mistake and use wire ties to hold them in place and out of the way until time to put them back on. Works for me on several different bikes too. Hope this helps.
Charlie

cehenard said:

Voodooo,
I have a "Pit Bull" front paddock stand which raises the front of the bike from under the bottom yoke with a pin that goes into the hole at the stem. This allows removal of the front wheel, fork tubes etc.. I always raise the rear with a rear paddock stand ( from Norton UK) before raising the front with either kind of front stand. As for brake calipers I usually wrap them to prevent a stupid mistake and use wire ties to hold them in place and out of the way until time to put them back on. Works for me on several different bikes too. Hope this helps.
Charlie

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Do you know which stand you use on the front. Parts number? Thanks Charlie.

I'll have to check the stand number and the number for the pin that fits our Nortons. I'll get back to you. That info is at home and I'm at work goofing off on Access Norton.
Charlie

NortonFactoryUK said:

Raphi said:

Be careful with removing the top yoke nut. As I am in Switzerland my dealer used a metric and not inch key to remove the nut and damaged it!
Further you should lay a tissue or handkerchief or similar on the yoke before applying the key to the nut. The top yoke can easily get scratched while removing respectively mounting the nut.

Click to expand...

The top Yoke Nuts have always been 37mm , I cant think of any part which requires imperial tools on the 961.

As Raphi said, its advisable to use something to protect the yoke while working on it.

Click to expand...

Thanks for info. Good to know that all is metric. Then it was even more stupid that my top yoke nut got spoiled... :x

BTW, the dealer in question was NOT Egli.

I used pit bull stands in the front and back of the race bike. They fit perfectly

Voodoo,
I checked the number stamped on the interchangeable pin that slides into the stem under the bottom yoke to use the Pit Bull front paddock stand on the Norton 961. The pin was stamped with a "S" on the top of it, which I believe denotes standard. Like I said, I've bought other pins for the stand that will fit the stem diameter of other motorcycles. Good luck.
Charlie